CC Sabathia turned and looked over his right shoulder, watching intently after Nate McLouth turned on a 93 mph fastball and sent it soaring down the right-field line. Yankees-Orioles. Playoffs. Disputed home run. Again.

Alex Rodriguez started the Yankees’ biggest game of the year on the bench. After being pinch-hit for in Games 3 and 4 against the Baltimore Orioles, the $275 million third baseman was removed from the starting lineup for Game 5 on Friday.

Most of us have a slice of sadism in us, so giving at least a little grin while A-Rod flops around the batter’s box like a marlin is understandable. But we’ve now reached redundancy, overkill and adolescent behavior. Let’s leave that to those more qualified.